Puzzles
by Dramatic Fantasy
Summary: Rhyme likes puzzles. RxJ
1. Chapter 1

Whoopy! My first multichapter story.............tell me how the story was at the end......

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As Rhyme sat against Hachiko, her hands swiftly toyed with and dismantled a simple puzzle, a metal circle in with jig-saw like gaps. At first glance, the puzzle seemed extremely easy, but after a few seconds with it, one discovers that this puzzle is a tad bit harder than some other puzzles. However, in Rhyme's hands, the puzzle seemed to unlock itself. She was at Hachiko because she had been walking around Shibuya and was tired.

This particular puzzle was Rhyme's favorite because of how simple it was and also how fun to solve it was. As Rhyme put the puzzle back together, her right hand slipped into her pocket. She pulled out another puzzle, this one was compass like, with N S E W printed on seperate parts of the puzzle. There were two parts of it, one half and the other. It was an octogram, and large enough to fit in her palm. When she tried to pull it apart, the puzzle held firm. Rhyme sighed as she thought of other possibilities. Before she could think any more, a white hand reached down and grabbed the puzzle.

"Give me a chance to try this thing." Joshua smiled as Rhyme looked up at him, sitting on the statue of Hachiko. Rhyme smiled and pulled a box with a puzzle inside of it out of her red book bag. "Heh, how many of those do you carry? Why don't you do any of these with your family?" Rhyme stopped and a sad look made its way to her face.

"My brother might break some of these, and...............if i show my parents them, they'll get mad at my brother for not being able to solve these." Rhyme sighed and showed a weak grin. Joshua looked up from the puzzle and let out a light "hmph".

"Heh, i guess i don't expect the Composer to care about someone's problems.........Don't worry, i'm used to suffering in silence." Rhyme laughed and continued on the new puzzle she had opened.

Joshua was surprised by Rhyme's actions. Most people, when he acted like he had just, would snap at him, one person even punched him!(obviously that person didn't live long) Rhyme merely took it like it was just a harmless comment. As Joshua was thinking this, he was staring at Rhyme, who continued to work on the puzzle. By now, she had already solved it twice. Rhyme noticed something, and looked at Joshua, who quickly looked away with a light blush. _She's just a friend.... _Joshua thought. _I don't have time to play with her....._

"Joshua, when someone enters the Game, do you feel any pity or any emotion like that?" Rhyme asked. Joshua looked at her with surprise and thought about it for a bit.

"I don't feel any pity, or remorse, or anything like that. People die, Rhyme, and playing the game gives them a second chance. In a way, i feel happy. With some people, they deserve a second chance. Others, i feel like they don't deserve a second chance. So, it's sort of mixed." Joshua shrugged and smirked as he threw the puzzle back to Rhyme, who caught it with a quick snap of her hand.

"Hm. I sort of understand that. Hey, aren't you gonna finish the puzzle?" Rhyme asked. She looked at the puzzle the Composer had just tried.

"Heh, you just want me to complete it so i will tell you the answer." Joshua smirked. Rhyme sighed.

"Haha, you caught me. Do you know how to complete this?" Rhyme looked at itt for a second time.

"Well, let's just say i've seen that many times before." Joshua took out his cell phone and punched a couple of buttons.

Rhyme blinked as a word flashed in her mind. _Spin_

Rhyme looked up at Joshua. "Did you just imprint on me?"

Joshua giggled and got up off of Hachiko. Rhyme put the puzzle on the ground and spun it. She flipped it over once and spun it again. She finally took the puzzle apart.

"Wow, you figured that out fast. Nice job." Joshua watched as Rhyme happily put the puzzle away.

"Yeah..........Hey, want to come with me to get another puzzle?" Rhyme asked. Joshua looked at his watch(Pegaso!) and nodded.

"I got time." Joshua said. Rhyme put her stuff in her small red bag and started to walk.

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like it? hate it? there's a second chapter so....................... heh


	2. Chapter 2

"Is this the place?" Joshua asked. Rhyme nodded and pushed the door open to the store they were at. The store was named "The Reaper's Game Store." The name was suspicious, but Rhyme didn't care. The whole store was board games, puzzles, and toys. One wall had Warhammer 30k (no, i don't play), the other had a set of board games that looked similar to chess (shogi, go). The wall in the back of the store was full of puzzles.

"Hm, I wonder if the owner's in? He's not here a lot of the time, so I normally just take the puzzles and put the money on the counter," Rhyme pointed out. She noticed Joshua leaning down and picking up some boxes behind the counter. "Hey, Joshua, quit it, i don't want us to get in trouble," Rhyme said.

"Why should the owner get in trouble?" Joshua said. Rhyme's eyes grew wide.

"You made this place?" Rhyme asked. Joshua nodded, smirked, and pulled a puzzle out of the box.

"Take a try at this one while i explain what i want to do with this store." Joshua threw Rhyme the puzzle and brought out a table and twi chairs.

Rhyme sat down and took a try at the puzzle. Rhyme was struggling with the new puzzle, but she thought she was getting somewhere.

Joshua said, "These puzzles are designed to only reveal themselves and their answers to someone with high Imagination." Joshua smirked. "So far, all of the puzzles i've given you, except that compass one, you've solved, proving you have a high Imagination. The compass one is an actual puzzle." Rhyme listened as she dismantled her puzzle.

"But then why doesn't Neku like these?" Rhyme asked.

"Neku has a high enough Imagination that i can tell how high it is. Besides, i wouldn't really want him seeing me so much, now would i?" Joshua laughed. Rhyme laughed as Joshua and Rhyme continued talking like this for a while........

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As Beat was walking around Shibuya, he looked for his sister, Rhyme. She had run off and now he had to go and find her. She had been acting strange lately, locking herself in her room or the bathroom with the only noise coming out being small clicks. As Beat looked around, he caught two sights: a skull cap and orange hair.........

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"Well, thanks for the puzzles!" Rhyme said. She had completed at least 5 in about 30 minutes. Joshua smirked.

"Come by any time." Joshua leaned forward. Rhyme could feel Joshua's breath on her neck. She blushed as Joshua whispered, "You are my preferred customer." He let out a little giggle before kissing her on the cheek. She went into such a daze that she almost fell forward.

"WHAT THE FRIGGIN HELL IS THIS!?!?!?!" Rhyme and Joshua turned towards the door to see Beat staring right at them. Joshua laughed. "What's so funny you little son of a-" WHACK!

"Thanks Kariya." Joshua said. Kariya was standing behind Beat. He had knocked Beat out, who was lying on the floor.

"Yeah, no problem boss. You called me here?" Kariya said.

"Yeah, you wanted some new lollipops?" Joshua went behind the counter and pulled out a bag full of lollipo-

"They're bean paste." Kariya took the bag and left. Joshua grabbed Beat.

"You should head home. Take Beat too if you can carry him," Joshua said while handing Beat to Rhyme. Rhyme immediately buckled at her brother's weight.

"I c-can't carry him....." Joshua picked Beat up with one arm, slung him over his shoulder and opened the door.

"I'll walk you and Beat home," Joshua said.

"What about the chairs?" Rhyme asked.

"I'll get them later. C'mon, let's go." Joshua said. Rhyme got up and the two (three if you count the knocked out one....) walked to the Bito house.

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"Huh, your house isn't that far from the store......" Joshua noticed. Rhyme nodded and pulled out a key from her red book bag and opened the front door.

"Yeah..........Put Beat on that chair," Rhyme said. Joshua levitated Beat to the chair while Rhyme put her book bag down.

"There you go. Cya, and if you want some puzzles, just come in and grab some off the shelves," Joshua said. Rhyme smiled and giggled a bit. Joshua gave Rhyme another quick peck to the cheek before leaving. Rhyme blushed as Joshua walked away. Suddenly, Joshua disappeared in a white flash of light. The only thing that was left was a white feather.....................

And a puzzle.

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SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

that was my first multi chapter story................. yay 2 is better than one.............


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